The Florida Panthers are going through some hard times right now.
Desperate for every point they can get in the standings, Florida dropped their fourth straight game on Monday night in Sunrise, a 5-3 affair to the Buffalo Sabres.
It didn’t take long for Florida to pick up the game’s opening goal, and it came off the stick of rookie Sandis Vilmanis.
Earning a start along with Cole Schwindt and A.J. Greer, Vilmanis jumped on the rebound of a Niko Mikkola point shot that hit Greer in the backside, corralling the puck and wiring a wrist shot over Alex Lyon’s glove at the 37-second mark.
The Cats weren’t done there.
After Sam Reinhart forced a turnover deep in the Sabres’ zone, Evan Rodrigues’ cross-crease pass attempt deflected past Lyon and into the net, making it 2-0 Florida before the game hit its first TV timeout.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, the lead did not stick.
A pair of quick goals by Tage Thompson and Peyton Krebs brought Buffalo right back into the game after the first 20 minutes.
Buffalo took their first lead of the game immediately after killing off a delay of game penalty early in the second, with Zach Benson catching Sergei Bobrovsky out of position after taking a pass from Ryan McLeod, who had just come out of the penalty box and beat Bob to the puck in Florida’s zone.
Another power play for the Panthers would prove much more prosperous, with Reinhart finding Uvis Balinskis sneaking down from the point. His one-time snap shot beat Lyon over the glove, sending the game into the third period tied at three.
Buffalo took the lead back about five minutes into the final frame after an iffy hooking call on Cole Schwindt quickly led to the Sabres first power play goal of the game.
After a couple key penalty kills by Buffalo, they converted a 2-on-1 with just over two minutes to go to cement the victory for the visitors.
Photo caption: Feb 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs (19) celebrates after scoring against the Florida Panthers during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 2: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins takes the puck to the net as Linus Ullmark #35 of the Ottawa Senators tends goal in the first period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 2, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pregame
The Penguins go with the same lineup as last game with a change in goalies back to Arturs Silovs.
Thought the Penguins were cutting corners and falling into some bad habits early. One example early was Ryan Shea in the opening minute attempting to go up the wall to a covered players. It got picked off and a nice Ottawa passing play nearly led to a goal (and probably should have if the placement was elevated to where it should have been). They got away with it, thanks to the play of Silovs in the first 5-10 minutes, following some cross-ice passes and good looks by the Senators after the Pens either flew the zone or just weren’t quite as connected with their positioning and/or decision making with the puck.
The Pens’ style pays off when Parker Wotherspoon is able to make one of those long passes up to Evgeni Malkin. Malkin puts a centering pass in an area with Egor Chinakhov can take one touch and shoot. When Chinakhov shoots, he shoots hard. This one low past Linus Ullmark, 1-0 Pens.
THRIVING IN THE BLACK AND GOLD 🐧
Egor Chinakhov has nine points (7G-2A) in 16 games since he joined the Penguins. pic.twitter.com/IZthuV5CaD
Rickard Rakell sideswipes Ullmark to take a goalie interference penalty in another avoidable little moment of not quite being super-sharp. The hot Pittsburgh PK kills it off.
Ilya Solovyov is the next to go to the penalty box for getting a stick up, another kill for the Penguins.
First period comes to a close, Ottawa is up 13-7 in shots, Pittsburgh carries a 1-0 lead where it counts. More in the thoughts section, didn’t like this start for the Pens. Silovs was very good and they’re fortunate to be ahead at this point.
Second period
The sloppy play continues, Malkin fumbles a puck in front of his net and hands it over to Michael Amadio. Amadio quickly puts the puck glove side on Silovs and in. 1-1 game.
Still not going well, Shea coughing the puck up leads to Parker Wotherspoon cross-checking a guy. The refs call it to send Ottawa to their third power play of the night. Another kill, though the Sens are getting more and more zone time and opportunities.
Lines have changed, Anthony Mantha joins the Crosby/Rakell group, Justin Brazeau goes to play with Kindel/McGroatry. The Penguins finally get their first shot of the period with just over nine minutes to go.
Solovyov breaks his stick and fails to clear the zone in the last minute, then Connor Clifton takes another cross-checking penalty for Ottawa’s fourth power play in the game, compared to the zero for the Penguins. The buzzer sounds before too much can happen.
It’s been a sludge for the Penguins tonight. Only three shots on goal in the second period and just 10 for the game. It’s a tie game after 40 minutes.
Third period
The Pens deal with the 91 seconds of carryover power play time. It takes until 13:14 remaining for Ottawa to take the lead. Shea fails to get the puck deep and turns the puck over at the far blueline while the Pens are changing behind him. That gives Drake Batherson a clean breakaway, Silovs makes the first stop, the rebound is sitting right there for the second player on the scene to get to. Turns out it’s Tim Stutzle. 2-1 Ottawa.
The Pens finally find a response on the rare chance to get a puck to the net. It’s Shea again (he’s everywhere) taking a shot that hits off Tommy Novak in the crease. Novak is able to find the loose puck and tap it into the net. 2-2 game with 11:12 to go.
It takes until 9:09 left in the game for Pittsburgh to get their first power play of the night. The big group stays out the whole time without scoring.
Claude Giroux splits the defense, Erik Karlsson has to hack at him. That causes Giroux to fall and crash into Silovs and the net, the puck goes in during the continuation of play. It takes a long review and it’s ruled a good goal for the puck over the line before the net was off.
That explanation isn’t good enough for Dan Muse, so he challenges the play for goalie interference. Questionable at best considering the contact was clearly initiated by Karlsson. Challenge denied and the Pens get a penalty and a goal against out of the deal anyways.
Pittsburgh kills off the punishment penalty, Silovs is pulled with over 2 minutes to go to get to 6v5 grind time. About halfway through the timeout is used to give the top players a breather. Doesn’t work, time runs out on the comeback effort.
Some thoughts
From the first period area, didn’t like the way the Penguins started this game. It was nice they scored first, the style was eye-catching. The players didn’t look as connected as they usually do to start breakouts in close support. They’re trying to stretch the ice more. It’s impossible to be sharp and have the details down every night, though I think we saw some of this against the Rangers too where some bad habits are starting to creep in. Once a team experiences success or gets on a winning streak it can be difficult to keep all those little details buttoned up. It’s a long stretch of hockey too, there’s no such thing as perfection but it can be alarming to see some of the finer points of their game erode away.
Then again, it still means something to take advantage of those mistakes. Ottawa made one in the first period when Nick Jensen played too wide and let Chinakhov get inside of him. Didn’t take long for the puck to get on and off his stick and in the net.
You can see why Ottawa is first in the league in 5v5 xGA and third best overall in fewest shots allowed per game. They hound opponents all over the ice, grinding them down and making everything earned then jump on turnovers and get right back on the attack. Not a lot of room out there against them.
Ryan Shea was all over the place tonight. At one point he even skated the puck aggressive while shorthanded when he realized it was a forward in Dylan Cozens back playing defense. Some good moments, some not so good.
Kinda crazy how the Pens just can’t draw a power play for the most part these days with just 19 power plays in the last eight games. They can’t complain too much, they barely had the puck enough and were chasing Ottawa around for most of the night, tough to get a call like that.
We’ve had some Dan Muse headscratchers when it comes to challenging very questionable goalie interference penalties, this was another one. There was no universe where the refs where going to rule Giroux interfered with Silovs. Did the Penguins want the play to be a penalty on Karlsson and no goal? I don’t even think that’s possible. Not sure if Muse is being fed bad information by the video team or just out of tune with how NHL referees are going to rule on these types of plays, he’s now 0-5 in goalie interference challenges. Muse has made several calls where the chance of getting the call to go his way was going to be an extreme longshot. This review being the most questionable of them all so far. These things can happen with a rookie coach, though at this point of the season almost four months and 55 games in it would be nice to see smarter coaching inputs happening there.
Bad game by the big guys, as it was for just about everyone besides Silovs. Malkin was turning pucks over, he did create a goal but his decision making was spotty all night. Crosby didn’t have so much as one shot attempt (let alone one on goal) and was forcing cross-ice passes in the last minute when it appeared he had a shooting lane — a telltale sign for the rare times that he is fighting things and mired a slump. Rakell wasn’t much more noticeable. Probably a good thing that Bryan Rust can play tomorrow back from his suspension, his presence will be needed.
Can’t win ‘em all, the Ottawa Senators have always been a tough matchup for the Pens, that continued again tonight. Pittsburgh was tied late but had difficulties all night in looking sharp and couldn’t find a way to win a seventh straight game. No shame in that, though they will need to put this one in the rearview mirror quickly with a matchup against the division-rival Islanders tomorrow night.
The Islanders failed to add to their lead and saw the Capitals take a 2-1 lead within a 31-second span in the second period.
First, it was Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary beating Rittich five-hole through a screen at 5:29 of the second before Beauvillier wrapped one past an out-of-position Rittich at the six-minute mark of the middle frame.
The Islanders, like we saw in the second period of their 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday, struggled to do everything. Despite their breakout issues and neutral zone play, they garnered chances.
Simon Holmstrom missed the net on a backhand semi-breakaway try before Horvat failed to score on his second breakway of the game, with Stevenson getting the shaft of his stick on a blocker-side try.
At 8:46 of the second, Nic Dowd's backdoor pass banked off Tony DeAngelo's skate and in to give the Capitals a 3-1 lead.
Roy pulled Rittich with 5:17 to go in the third, with John Carlson adding an empty-net tally at 17:35 for the 4-1 final.
UP NEXT: The Islanders battle the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night at 7:30 PM.
Brendan Donovan looks to make a play during the Cardinals' September 2025 game.
The Mariners are bringing Brendan Donovan to the Pacific Northwest as part of a trade that includes the Cardinals and Rays.
The Cardinals are getting right-hander Jurrangelo Cijntje, center fielder Tai Peete, outfielder Colton Ledbetter and two competitive-balance Round B picks, and the Rays will get third baseman Ben Williamson, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported.
Donovan hit .287 — a career best — last season while recording 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in 118 games.
Brendan Donovan looks to make a play during the Cardinals’ September 2025 game. Getty Images
He also had the team lead in doubles, with 32 and WAR, with a 2.7.
He has played four seasons in the big leagues, all of which have been with the Cardinals. Donovan was an All-Star for the first time in his career last season.
The Cardinals had been looking at signing Donovan to a long-term deal, but the sides never came close to a new contract, ESPN reported.
Donovan brings versatility to Seattle that will help as it looks to address questions at second and third base, both positions that Donovan has played.
In fact, Donovan had mostly spent time at second base last season and has more than 100 career innings at third base, shortstop, third base and right field under his belt.
Brendan Donovan swings during the Cardinals’ June 17 game. Getty Images
And in 2024, he could usually be found in left field.
It also gives the Mariners another player at the top of their order who has been an All-Star over the previous two seasons, a list that includes Josh Naylor, Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodríguez.
The Mariners are coming off a season in which they just missed out on making it to the World Series.
Seattle took the Blue Jays to seven games in the ALCS before Toronto escaped to the Fall Classic.
The deal helps make the Mariners a team to watch once again going into 2026.
Feb 16, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Team LeBron forward Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers receives the Kobe Bryant MVP Award after the 2020 NBA All Star Game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-Imagn Images
On Sunday, the NBA announced the reserves for the 2026 All-Star Game, which takes place in less than two weeks at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the new home of the LA Clippers. It goes without saying that there were no Warriors among the reserves … Steph Curry already made the team as a starter, and Jimmy Butler III’s ACL tear ended his slim chances of representing the Dubs in Inglewood.
It’s the season for snubbery, and a lot of fan bases are upset that one of their players didn’t make the cut for the mid-season festivities. So who do you think are the biggest snubs?
Here’s the full lineups as a refresher:
West starters: Steph Curry (Warriors) Luka Dončić (Lakers) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) Nikola Jokić (Nuggets) Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
East starters: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Warriors Bucks … for now) Jaylen Brown (Celtics) Jalen Brunson (Knicks) Cade Cunningham (Pistons) Tyrese Maxey (76ers)
West reserves: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers) Devin Booker (Suns) Kevin Durant (Rockets) Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves) Chet Holmgren (Thunder) LeBron James (Lakers) Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
East reserves: Scottie Barnes (Raptors) Jalen Duren (Pistons) Jalen Johnson (Hawks) Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) Norman Powell (Heat) Pascal Siakam (Pacers) Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
So who got snubbed? The clear answer in my eyes is Kawhi Leonard. Normally I’m of the mindset that most snubs aren’t worth getting upset over … that in any given year, there are 30 or so players worthy of being All-Stars and it’s hard to make a case that the “snub” actually deserves to make the roster over any of the players ahead of him. But I probably would have picked Leonard over every Western Conference reserve other than Edwards. He’s averaging 27.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, shooting 39.1% on threes with a 62.5% true-shooting percentage, and playing his usual defense. Add in the fact that his team is hosing the All-Star Game, and it’s truly staggering to me that he didn’t get selected.
There will be replacements announced between now and the February 15 game, and hopefully Leonard is on that list. But for now, he’s my biggest snub.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored 20 points and No. 13 Mississippi rolled to a 71-45 victory over Auburn at neutral site Legacy Arena on Monday night.
McMahon made 7 of 13 shots, 6 of 8 free throws and grabbed seven rebounds for the host Rebels (19-4, 6-2 Southeastern Conference), who have won three straight and five of six.
Sira Thienou totaled 14 points and eight rebounds for Ole Miss. Christeen Iwuala added 12 points and 11 rebounds for her ninth double-double this season. Latasha Lattimore left with an apparent ankle injury in the fourth quarter for the Rebels after scoring six points — leaving her one shy of 1,000 for her career.
Harissoum Coulibaly had 11 points to lead the Tigers (13-10, who have lost four in a row — all to ranked teams.
Mya Petticord had two baskets in a game-opening 10-4 run for Auburn. McMahon made three baskets and four free throws as Ole Miss scored the next 18 points to take a 12-point lead after one quarter. The Tigers missed their last 10 shots and both their free throws, going scoreless over the final 6:58.
Khady Leye's layup 2:01 into the second quarter ended the drought and left Auburn trailing 24-12. McMahon had 15 points as the Rebels took a 35-19 lead into the break. The Tigers shot 28.6% and scored nine points over the final 13:02 of the half.
McMahon scored five in the third quarter to top 20 points for a third straight game and Ole Miss led 50-31.
The Tigers came in averaging an SEC-low 54 points per game and missed their first 11 3-pointers until Kaitlyn Duhon connected with 5:47 left.
During this past off-season, former Montreal Canadiens forward Ryan Poehling was traded by the Philadelphia Flyers to the Anaheim Ducks in the deal that brought Trevor Zegras to Philly. While Poehling was not the big name in this trade, the 27-year-old forward has proven to be a solid addition to the Ducks' roster this season.
In 48 games this season with the Ducks, Poehling has recorded five goals, 16 assists, 21 points, 56 blocks, and a plus-7 rating. However, the former Canadiens forward has only been heating up as the season continues to roll on for the Pacific Division club.
In his last five games, Poehling has recorded two goals and five points. This included him recording a goal and an assist in the Ducks' most recent win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 1.
Poehling will now be looking to stay hot as the Ducks aim to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Poehling was selected by the Canadiens with the 25th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The former Canadiens first-round pick went on to play three seasons with the Habs, where he had 13 goals, nine assists, 22 points, and 79 hits. This included him scoring a hat trick and scoring the shootout winner in his NHL debut with the Canadiens during the 2018-19 season against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 12: Gabriel Moreno #14 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on against the Minnesota Twins on September 12, 2025 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier tonight, MLB Now’s Top 10 Catchers Right Now countdown was announced, hosted by Brian Kenny with MLB Network analyst Alex Avila. The Diamondbacks had Gabriel Moreno ranked sixth on the list. That’s up one place from last year, and marks his third year in a row being ranked, having come tenth in 2024.
The complete ranking for MLB Now’s top-10 catchers is listed below:
Top 10 Catchers Right Now
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers
Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays
Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks
Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros
Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves
Iván Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals
Shea Langeliers, Athletics
The 16th season of each Top 10 Right Now ranking considers player performance over multiple seasons, offensive and defensive metrics, both advanced Statcast data and traditional numbers, and expert analysis by the MLB Network research team.
The offseason rankings will continue tomorrow, February 3 as Kenny and Chris Young count down MLB Now’s Top 10 Right Fielders Right Now at 7 p.m. ET. I’m pretty sure I’ll be back with another entry then, because Corbin Carroll will certainly be listed high in that category.
Adolfo Sanchez and his bag o’ tools was voted the #14 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system for 2026 by you, the voters and participants in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings. Now, we turn our eyes to spot #15!
Per usual, you can find the link to the Google Form for voting right here, yet it’s also embedded at the bottom if you want to read through first and not have to embark upon the painstaking process of scrolling all the way back up here. Both link and embed will be removed once voting closes so you can’t stuff the ballot post facto, however, so be advised that this paragraph will make zero sense if you stumble back across it a year from now.
Here’s how the list has materialized so far:
Sal Stewart
Alfredo Duno
Rhett Lowder
Hector Rodriguez
Edwin Arroyo
Cam Collier
Steele Hall
Tyson Lewis
Chase Petty
Arnaldo Lantigua
Jose Franco
Zach Maxwell
Leo Balcazar
Adolfo Sanchez
A large list of talented names exists below for spot #15. Have at it with the votes!
Aaron Watson, RHP (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2nd round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Trinity Christian Academy (FL); signed overslot $2.7 million bonus to forego commitment to the University of Florida
Pros: 6’5” frame; potential 60-grade slider; fastball that runs up to 96 mph from a three-quarter arm slot and already has a solid three-pitch mix with his change rotated in
Cons: Did not pitch professionally after being drafted, so he’s a complete unknown
One glimpse of Watson on the mound and you immediately think yep, I bet that guy can turn into a pretty dang good pitcher. He’s got an ideal frame to produce downhill offerings, and his fastball/slider mix is already something on which he can hang his hat.
However, command of all three of his pitches – specifically a very developmental changeup – will be what he needs to work on to begin to move quickly through the ranks. He possesses a good ‘feel’ at the moment in terms of what pitches to throw, which part of the zone to attack vs. which hitters, etc., but how well he can build in more deception with his offerings will be vital.
Carlos Jorge, OF (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .251/.342/.355 with 6 HR, 40 SB in 469 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)
Pros: Plus speed; former infielder moved to CF in 2023 and in 2025 looked like a natural there; plus speed; shaved 12.5% off K-rate from down 2024 season; 60-grade arm strength a weapon in CF
Cons: ISO declined for third straight year, this time precipitously; prone to extreme streakiness
If you threw out every other stop of Carlos Jorge’s pro career and just focused on the good ones, he’d already be ranked by now. The good parts of the best of his years have been quite tremendous, all told. He’s flashed great speed (40 steals in 2025), good pop for a small-ish CF (12 HR in 2023 and 2024; .483 SLG in the cavernous Florida State League in 2023), and the ability to play pretty elite CF defense (as recently as 2025).
However, he’s added some real clunkers in there, too. He hit just .220/.291/.394 with a K-rate over 31% at Dayton in 2024, and that came on the heels of hitting just .239/.277/.398 in 23 games once he reached Dayton at the end of 2023.
Maybe it’s just Dayton, where he was again in 2025 in a much better all-around year, even though his power dried up again. He’ll surely begin with AA Chattanooga of the Southern League in 2026, and at 22 (with his position in CF now settled) the former 2B might finally have a one-track shot to focus on his all around game in a new locale. After acing his move on defense, shaving off a ton of strikeouts, and bumping his walk rate back up over 11.1% (where it’s been for most of his career), perhaps 2026 will have a lot more in store for him.
Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)
2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term
Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing
The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.
The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.
It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.
Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)
2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League
Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)
Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph
Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.
Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.
He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.
Mason Morris, RHP (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: 9.00 ERA, 7/1 K/BB in 4.0 IP with Class-A Daytona Tortugas; 3.29 ERA, 78/31 K/BB in 54.2 IP with University of Mississippi
Pros: Fastball that can touch 100 mph; four-pitch mix
Cons: Lack of experience
Mason Morris landed with Ole Miss in 2023 primarily as a corner infielder, and the now 6’4” 225 lb righty only recently became a full-time pitcher prior to the Reds selecting him with their 3rd round pick in 2025. He’s got projection through the roof, though, with a 100 mph heater, plus cutter, and a pair of other breaking balls that look like they’ve also got the juice.
The question, though, is how Cincinnati plans to use him.
Morris only got a pair of outings as a pro after being drafted, and it appears the Reds have intentions on seeing if he can develop into a starting pitcher. That’s something he’s never really done before, however, and he’ll turn 23 years old in August of 2026. So, we’ll see how long of a leash the Reds give him with that avenue, since if they want to simply keep him in the bullpen there’s very little reason why he shouldn’t rocket through the minors and give them a legit relief arm at the big league level in short order.
Julian Aguiar, RHP (25 years old)
2025 at a glance: Did not pitch
Pros: Four-seam fastball that flirts with 100 mph; five-pitch pitcher with a pair of breaking balls and potentially plus change-up
Cons: Missed all of 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery; roughed up in 31.2 IP in MLB debut in 2024 (22 ER, 8 HR)
Julian Aguiar has risen quietly through the ranks of the Reds after being a 12th round pick out of Cypress College back in 2021, and his 2024 season saw him rocket from AA Chattanooga all the way through AAA and then to the Reds. Unfortunately, his short stint there ended with him requiring Tommy John surgery, and he missed all of 2025 while recovering.
He’s got plus potential with at least three pitches, and has another two that are still passable to keep hitters off-keel. His 360/93 career K/BB in 346.1 IP across the minors shows he’s got good strikeout stuff and a passable ability to keep hitters from free passes, and if his command returns as quickly as his velocity does post-surgery he should be in the mix to get big league batters out in some role as early as Opening Day. My best guess, though, is that he’ll be slated for AAA Louisville’s rotation to re-establish himself as a starter first, and he won’t actually turn 25 until June.
Mason Neville, OF (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .247/.333/.442 with 1 HR, 2 SB in 90 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League); .290/.429/.724 with 26 HR, 9 SB in 280 PA with University of Oregon
Pros: 60-grade power with potential plus arm and plus speed & baserunning; chance to stick in CF, though still profiles as a solid RF if moved to the corner; led Division I with 26 HR in final season at Oregon
Cons: Lots of swing and miss in his game, at times, including a 34.4% rate in his short sample with Daytona
The Reds clearly love Neville, as they drafted him in the 18th round out of high school 2022 only to watch him initially attend the University of Arkansas. After transferring to Oregon and swatting more dingers than anyone else in 2025, the Reds went back to him in the 4th round of the most recent draft.
Neville is incredibly toolsy, his left-handed swing producing significant power when he makes contact. He’s good at working walks despite his swing-and-miss proclivities, and posesses the kind of athleticism and speed to be a legitimate CF.
His tiny sample with Daytona has some red flags with the Ks, but it’s such a small sample that it’s hard to take it with too much certainty. For instance, he hit .298/.365/.526 through his first 17 games there only to go 2 for 20 with 9 Ks across his final 6 games – that could, and likely is, all small-sample noise.
Big tools, that Neville. He could well be the steal of the 2025 draft.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 29: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on November 29, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Turns out, Michael Porter Jr. isn’t the only Brooklyn Nets big currently garnering interest around the league. Jake Fischer reports Monday that “sources say that Toronto, in addition to calls on mid-tier centers like Dallas’ Daniel Gafford, has also expressed interest in Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe.”
Day’Ron continues to be one of the best bigs off the bench this season, currently averaging 21.9 points and a ludicrous 17.7 rebounds per 100 possessions.
There was also news — actually no news — on the Giannis Antetokounmpo front. As Brian Lewis reported exclusively, the the Brooklyn Nets pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo never … actually … began.
That’s what Lewis tweeted exclusively Monday afternoon….
I’m told the #Bucks haven’t received a call from Brooklyn about Giannis Antetokounmpo. I know there’s reporting to the contrary, and I can’t say say what the #Nets will do in the future; but as of now league sources say they haven’t called the Bucks. #nbahttps://t.co/guR4ya9Ghn
[A] highly placed league source familiar with the situation told The Post that — among the calls that the Bucks have fielded on the 31-year-old star — Brooklyn wasn’t among them as of Monday afternoon.
That of course runs counter to some early reporting that Brooklyn, which had long coveted the 6’11” Greek big man, would jump into the trade fray now that the Bucks are willing to listen to offers. As Lewis noted.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the most sought-after player at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. But sources told The Post that — contrary to reports — the Nets haven’t called Milwaukee about the Greek superstar.
For years, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks hoarded assets in case Antetokounmpo ever decided he wanted to leave Milwaukee and was made available.
The news follows word from Brian Windhorst that the Nets haven’t put Michael Porter Jr. on the market. MPJ, presumably would be a big piece in any Giannis trade Brooklyn would make. Not including him now would indicate that the 27-year-old is likely to be a part of Brooklyn’s long-term plan … or that they will wait til the summer to field offers.
Specifically, Jake Fischer reports that the Raps are pursuing size and although their top target is Donatas Sabonis, they have monitored Sharpe as well.
Toronto will continue to explore its options for an infusion of size. As we’ve reported many times, they have shown an interest in Sabonis for some time … while some in Anthony Davis’ camp still believe that the Raptors will pursue him. Sources say that Toronto, in addition to calls on mid-tier centers like Dallas’ Daniel Gafford, has also expressed interest in Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe.
The Raptors have all their first round picks through 2032 as well as all but one of their seconds..
The deadline of course is now three days away, Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET.
STAVELY, Alberta (AP) — Three Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey players were killed Monday morning in a vehicle crash while heading to practice.
RCMP said it responded to the crash at an intersection with Highway 2 in Stavely — about an hour’s drive south of Calgary. JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18 and from Kamloops, British Columbia, and 17-year-old Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama, were killed.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a social media post, offered condolences to the players' families and teammates.
“The whole Alberta hockey family is standing with you in sorrow and in prayer,” Smith said. “In the days ahead, I know Albertans will wrap these families and this team in love and support as they navigate a pain no one should ever have to bear.”
RCMP said the crash involved a northbound semi truck pulling gravel and a small passenger vehicle going east. The driver of the semi, a 40-year-old man from Stavely, sustained minor injuries.
The U.S. Premier Hockey League team said on Facebook that it is working closely with authorities and is asking for privacy for the players' families.
“There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief," the team said. "These young men were more than hockey players — they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends, and deeply loved members of our Mustangs family and the communities we call home. We are a family, and today our family is hurting.”
At the town’s arena, three white and red jerseys with the last names of the players were draped over a table, along with three upright hockey sticks.
The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association said in a statement that Casorso and Wright grew up in the B.C. organization. Casorso played from 2012 to 2025 and Wright from 2011 to 2025.
“Although their journeys began here in Kamloops, they found a second hockey family and a new bond with the Southern Alberta Mustangs,” the statement said. “These three young men were teammates and friends to many. We are grieving together, as one hockey family forever changed by the loss of these young men.”
The Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League also offered support on social media: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew them,” the team said.
News of the crash evoked memories of another deadly crash involving a junior hockey team.
In April 2018, 16 people were killed and 13 injured when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League crashed. The team had been on its way to a playoff game when a semi truck went through a stop sign and into the path of the bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan.
The mayor of Humboldt expressed condolences to the Alberta team on Facebook.
“We stand with your community as you mourn this tragic loss, and our thoughts are with all those affected,” Mayor Rob Muench said.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 03: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Alex Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on November 03, 2025 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Wizards 119-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the New York Knicks tomorrow night. Let’s get to the preview.
Game info
When: Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass
Injuries: For the Wizards, Tre Johnson (ankle), Tristan Vukcevic (hamstring), Trae Young (knee, quad) and Cam Whitmore (shoulder) are out. Anthony Gill is day-to-day.
For the Knicks, Mitchell Robinson (ankle), Miles McBride (ankle) and Kevin McCullar are out.
What to watch for
The Wizards kicked off February on the right note with a win against the Sacramento Kings last Sunday. The Knicks will be a much tougher opponent to beat tomorrow night, however. They have won six straight, with their most recent win coming against the Los Angeles Lakers last Sunday.
Hopefully, Washington won’t be caught flatfooted like they were against the Lakers last Friday. Let’s see how things shape up as we head toward the NBA Trade Deadline as well.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 1: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns. looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on February 1, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have been off to a terrific start with already 30 wins under their belt before the All-Star Break. This is a complete 180 compared to last year, as this version of the Suns is viewed as one of the best underdog stories, whereas last year, they were one of the biggest failures. That being said, the Suns have dealt with injuries just like in past years, but have powered through with the depth pieces rising.
One of those big standouts is Dillon “The Villain” Brooks, who has been a massive piece to the Suns’ success this year.
Brooks has come up clutch multiple times for this team, taking over when he needs to be the major x factor on offense. In a recent game, we just saw the proof of this as Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Collin Gillespie were all out against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. What did Brooks do? Well, he dropped a career-high 40 points and routed them by almost 20 points.
Even with all this positive talk and endorsement from fans and players on the squad, Brooks was still snubbed of an All-Star appearance this year. This has left many fans, including myself, confused about how this could have occurred.
"Tell everybody, we have two All-Stars on the team! This man is an All-Star"
Collin Gillespie speaking the TRUTH after Dillon Brooks' career night against the Pistons 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/qdcqXdTupa
Luckily, the Suns were at least represented with Devin Booker making it, but this still does not fill the void left by Brooks’ not being there. As I stated earlier, he has come up huge for this team and has been the second or third option on most nights this year. Just look at his recent stats while Booker has been out, with Green sporadically playing as well.
Dillon Brooks over the last 4 games:
29.8 PPG 4.5 RPG 3.0 APG 1.3 SPG 1.0 BPG 56.8% FG 47.6% 3P 89.3% FT 31.9 MPG
Even with his awe-inspiring numbers as of late, he has been helping this team win all season long. For someone who was viewed as a throw-in in the Kevin Durant trade, he has changed that narrative, becoming the most valuable piece from that deal so far. This season, he is averaging some career-high numbers. In 31 minutes, he averages 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks while shooting 45/36/86 from the field. An efficient shooting season while being a leader on both ends clearly captures how much he means to this team.
So, how did he not make it, you may be asking? Well, as we can see, this was the list of other reserves from the Western Conference.
2026 NBA Western Conference All-Star Reserves:
Anthony Edwards (MIN) Jamal Murray (DEN) Chet Holmgren (OKC) Kevin Durant (HOU) Devin Booker (PHX) Deni Avdija (POR) LeBron James (LAL)
Even with Brooks not making it, there were a lot of snubs from the Western Conference. Depending on who you ask, they will give a different name, but with it being in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome, I would have expected a Clipper to make it with their success as of late. Regardless of that, to me, there is a clear person Brooks could have replaced.
Now, this is no hate on that person, but this year it is clear they are not an All-Star and only got the bid for legacy’s sake, and it is LeBron James. James, who was out to start the season, is having an impressive year 23 for sure, but not one that is clearly better than Brooks. He also is not helping the impact of winning on that team, compared to Brooks for the Suns.
That is why it stings most, because of how much Brooks has meant to the success of this Suns team. He has played in a majority of their games, missing only six so far this season, and every time he is needed, he steps up to deliver. It does not matter on which side of the ball it is; he always has the fighting energy to contribute and make a difference. With that fuel, he powers not only for himself but this team as well to make a difference on both ends.
Brooks was so impactful in fact that he earned Western Conference player of the week, for his tremendous play. This is just more proof that he has been a leader who has stepped up countless times for the squad’s success. He is the definition of someone you want on your team and someone you would hate to go against.
So even if Dillon is not an All-Star and is not going to be represented, he is still an All-Star to me in my heart. He has helped the Suns change their narrative this year by proving those doubters and haters wrong. That is the best fuel for this team to continue succeeding, especially Brooks, who never backs down.
The White Sox might really get a kick out of having David Sandlin in their rotation this summer. | (Photo by Ella Hannaford/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Rejoice! It’s February! That means baseball will be back before the month is over, and I’ll finally write about something besides “Hey, look at this young arm!”
Unfortunately, Spring Training is still weeks away. Respite still eludes you, South Side Sox stan. The Pale Hose have another arm you haven’t heard of, Daniel Sandlin, and I’m going to tell you all about him. (At least he’ll stick around for longer than Ryan Rolison.
The trade represents a lateral move for Sandlin’s organization ranking: FanGraphs has Sandlin as the ninth best prospect in the White Sox system, which was just about the consensus for him with the Red Sox. His big-ticket trait is velocity: at 6’4’’ and 215 pounds, Sandlin was topping out at 99.9 mph in September. The steady velocity – he sits around 96mph – has kept the door open for Sandlin to start in the majors, despite being transitioned into the bullpen at Triple A this past season. In the video below, a June 21 Double-A start, you can see how easily Sandlin can overpower an opposing lineup when he’s locating his fastball at the top of the zone:
FanGraphs also has good things to say about Sandlin’s cutter and slider, calling both pitches “nasty and fairly distinct from one another.” A sinker/sweeper combo rounds out his standard five-pitch mix, although he has a curveball he’ll mix in on occasion. Sandlin also threw a changeup last year. No, literally. He threw one changeup:
However, I’d wager the remainder of Luis Robert Jr.‘s contract that Sandlin is going to be throwing a lot more changeups … what’s that? Apologies, dear reader, but I’m now being told all that money actually has been spent? No kidding? Huh. Well then, I guess I’d wager the remainder of Andrew Benintendi’s contract? Regardless, if Sandlin’s going to win a spot in the White Sox rotation, he’ll need to get comfortable with a changeup, and quick.
At this point in time, Sandlin’s has a two-part plan for approaching lefthanders. The first part is to throw the ball, and the second part is to pray:
2025 Splits (Combined Double-A and Triple-A) vs. Righties: .225 BA, .343 SLG, .649 OPS, .289 BABIP vs. Lefties: .285 BA, .430 SLG, .772 OPS, .358 BABIP
Back to FanGraphs, who came through in the clutch with an updated 2026 report today: “[Sandlin] still doesn’t have a great offspeed pitch with which to attack lefties … [he] peppers the top of the zone with cutters and sliders before elevating his fastball with two strikes.”
If you’re throwing your breaking pitches up in the zone to get ahead against opposite-side hitters, it doesn’t take much imagination to picture what could happen if that slider hangs just a little, or that cutter comes out a little flat, or even if he just misses his spot a couple inches low. The French refer to it as “Bang City.”
If you’ve read a single thing I’ve published on this site before — not a guarantee, I realize! — you already know what I’m going to say, and you’re probably pissed off that you’ve read 500 words just to realize this is yet another article about the kick changeup and how I think it’s a magical pitch that fixes everybody. But I’m not even the first to bring it up this time!
“The White Sox have had recent success coaxing better changeups out of pitchers with naturally-good breaking balls,” FanGraphs concludes in their prospect report, “and perhaps they’ll be able to do that with Sandlin.”
And I’d say the evidence is there! Sandlin has a very strong supinator profile. His Achilles’ heel, for him and many supinators, is a lack of arm-side options against opposite-handed hitters.
To flatten out his pitching splits, Sandlin’s going to need something. This is the magic of the kick change: no unfamiliar arm mechanics or discomfort. The platonic ideal of the kick change isn’t just its effectiveness, but how quickly somebody can pick it up and add it to their arsenal. For Sandlin, it is also the difference between a major league starter versus a middle reliever.
Dominick Barlow had the game of his NBA life Monday night.
The 22-year-old forward was tremendous in the opening contest of the Sixers’ five-game West Coast road trip, a 128-113 win over the Clippers at Intuit Dome.
Barlow had a career-high 26 points and a career-best 16 rebounds. Ten of those boards were offensive.
Tyrese Maxey posted 29 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Joel Embiid scored 24 points.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard recorded 29 points and six assists.
On the second night of a back-to-back, the 23-26 Clippers’ absences included James Harden (personal reasons) and Derrick Jones Jr. (right ankle sprain).
The 28-21 Sixers will visit the Warriors on Tuesday night and aim for a fifth consecutive win. Here are observations on their victory vs. the Clippers:
Brilliant Barlow start
Maxey hit two early three-pointers in a row and scored an extremely efficient 16 first-quarter points, shooting 4 for 6 from the floor.
Barlow was also outstanding. The Sixers seemed to beat the Clippers to every contested ball in the first quarter and Barlow’s energy was everywhere. While the Sixers are obviously a better, more well-rounded team with George, Barlow’s shown he shouldn’t be viewed as a last-ditch starting option.
The two-way contract player (for now) has started 32 times this season and frequently fit well by doing the dirty work alongside the Sixers’ stars. On Monday, Barlow earned a major chunk of the spotlight. He had two put-back buckets, an and-one layup in transition and a chase-down block on Leonard in the first quarter. All told, Barlow posted 11 points and seven boards in the opening period. The Sixers raced to an 18-2 lead.
Especially with Harden out, it was no surprise that the Sixers’ defense constantly slanted toward Leonard. He missed his first five field goals and the Sixers held Los Angeles to 19 points in the first quarter.
Sixers turn to three-guard look
Jared McCain swished a three on his first shot of the night. He played in a three-guard lineup with VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes to begin the second quarter.
Edgecombe was scoreless until he made two free throws with 9:10 left in the second, but he looked good at point guard and threw several sharp passes in a seven-assist outing.
Grimes’ first points were of the highlight variety. He exploded for a big dunk on John Collins that the Sixers’ sideline enjoyed.
The Clippers eventually found some success in the second quarter as Leonard and his teammates adjusted to the Sixers’ many double teams. Leonard had a 5-for-5 stretch and the Clippers made a 9-0 run to cut their deficit to 58-44.
No trouble going wire to wire
Coming off of a 40-point performance vs. New Orleans, Embiid shot 2 for 10 from the floor in the first half. Edgecombe had a very cold shooting game and finished 1 for 11.
Embiid made four throws over the last minute of the second quarter and got into a typical scoring groove in the third. The Sixers still couldn’t turn the game into a no-doubt blowout. They left Jordan Miller free for a wide-open dunk late in the third quarter and head coach Nick Nurse asked for a timeout.
Grimes and McCain both stalled the Clippers’ momentum by knocking down threes in the the closing stages of the third quarter. However, McCain committed a turnover on the Sixers’ last possession of the third and Miller’s subsequent layup trimmed the Sixers’ lead to 100-87.
Barlow reached his career high in satisfying fashion with 8:23 left in the fourth quarter, converting an and-one lefty layup seconds after he’d grabbed an offensive board. He sunk a long-range jumper on the Sixers’ next trip, too.
The Clippers weren’t nearly precise enough in the fourth quarter to pull off a massive comeback. L.A. never led and the Sixers kept a double-digit advantage. Following two straight Leonard missed free throws, Maxey drilled a step-back three. He was able to soak in the final three minutes and change from the bench.
